Survivor Advice
by bcsbookworm
Summary: Clint is forced onto a talk show and asked to share advice to kids "who want to be just like the superheroes." Only, he doesn't know what to say, because the kids he's used to, are the kids who don't have time to be "just like superheroes." AU hints of child abuse, nothing graphic.


**I do not own the Avengers! That's Marvel.**

Against his will, Clint found himself on a talk show with Natasha, Tony, Steve, and Bruce. Thor got out of being there because he had some business in Asgard, which was annoying because if he, Clint, had to be here with everyone else, than Thor should be there too.

Natasha had told him before they'd gone on stage that he was being a sulky teenager, that the only people comfortable in the group with being on TV was Tony and Steve, and that Director Fury had promised that he'd get Clint some new arrows that exploded things if he behaved.

Such heinous bribery was unfair, but Clint had put on his most neutral face and walked on stage with the others.

The host, a man by the name of Dean Hale, was a chubby little man who reminded Clint of a stereotypical used car salesman. His suit was expensive, but not ironed correctly, and the man's hair was slicked back with too much product. He had a nasally voice that grated on Clint's nerves, but he was one of the most popular hosts in New York State, and the audience looked relatively normal, so Clint attempted to focus on any place other than Hale.

Tony and Steve did most of the talking. Hale seemed more interested in those two since they were famous in their own right. Clint had to suffer through explaining his weapon of choice and his role in the Battle of New York, as did Bruce and Natasha.

Until the end, that is. Hale decided to ask the most awful question in the world.

"One for the kids watching at home," Hale said, smiling at them all. "As superheroes, what advice would you give to children who want to be just like you? I mean, you're role models now! Let's start with you, Captain."

Steve answered in his usual manner. Loyalty and bravery and standing up for what you believe in. Tony, interestingly made of point of mentioning how some of his lifestyle choices were not healthy, and how kids should think twice before getting roaring drunk, and always to use protection when having sex.

Clint was sure the parents were loving Tony Stark at that moment.

But what sort of advice would he give? He'd hardly had a normal childhood. An abusive father, a mother who turned a blind eye, running away with an older brother to join the circus, having the older brother turn on you just like dad, become and assassin, get captured by SHIELD, so on and so forth.

Clint glanced at Bruce and Natasha, and knew they were having the same trouble. Though Natasha was at least able to advice girls to become who they wanted to be, and not allow anyone to hold them back just because they happened to not have a penis. That last comment got some chuckles from the crowd and claps from the women.

Bruce stammered out something about how, no matter how horrible life seems, that if you got friends or people you trust, then you were good, and that friendship was one of the best things in the world so be sure to be a loyal friend.

Now it was his turn. Hale stared at Clint expectantly. Clint swallowed nervously. He still wasn't sure what he wanted to say, if he even wanted to say anything. He caught Natasha's eye and she gave him a small nod, unseen by everyone other than him.

"What advice would you give kids who want to be just like you?" Hale repeated. Clint wanted to smack him.

"I don't know if I have any advice for the kids who want to be just like us," Clint replied, his voice sharp. He really didn't like Hale. "The kids who have the time to dream and play act being superheroes obviously have a family who encourages them, who cares for them. I have no advice for them because I've never been like them."

Hale gave him a simpering smile. His teammates were staring at him impassively. The crowd had gone abnormally silent. He wasn't quite sure where he was going with this, but he plowed on.

"It's the kids who don't have the time to daydream about being kickass superheroes that I'd like to talk to," Clint says, making sure to keep eye contact with Hale. That'll unnerve him. "Kids who don't have time to daydream about anything other than a day they can get through without getting hurt. Kids who get smacked around by their old men or their moms, kids who have siblings who'd rather take their frustrations out on them, kids who have runaway, kids who are ignored by the rest of the world because they'd not normal, from the wrong side of the tracks."

He can hear people whispering in the audience.

"My old man was a bastard," Clint says. "My mom was a coward and my brother was cruel. Society says children who grow up in a particular environment tend to stay within that environment. An abused child is more likely to abuse their children. Is that because that's all they know, or is that because that's what society expects of them and so they do what is expected?"

He shifts forward on the leather chair.

"What matters is what you, the kid, want to be. If you're stuck upstairs hiding in your closet while your dad beats your mom to a bloody pulp, you have a choice. To grow up to be like your dad, or not. To let the fear consume your life or attempt to beat the fear at its own game. If you can believe with all your mind and soul that you are strong, that you will survive, that you are a better person, than you will be. I survived. I'm not the best survivor example, but I survived. You will too. It just depends on how much _you_ want to survive. If you want to survive, then you won't be the abuser when you have kids. You won't let society or statistics tell you what you have to feel or what you have to do. The moment you go from listening to your old man telling you who you are to society telling you who you are is when you die. We survivors make our own paths. We make mistakes and we keep fighting."

Clint leaned back in the chair. "How's that for advice, Mr. Hale?"

Maybe Director Fury won't give him his new arrows because of his little stunt, but now that he'd said all that, he can't bring himself to care. Because this question, this forcing of him to give advice, has reminded him how much he'd wished for someone to come save him. Not even a superhero, just a person.

"Also," Clint adds. "SHIELD is always looking for new recruits." He glances at the camera and nods.

Maybe this won't make a difference for most of the people who watch the show. But maybe, just maybe, there will be some who don't have to suffer what he did, who won't be used and abused because they were so vulnerable and so in need that others took advantage of them. Maybe, just maybe, being a superhero wasn't about the arrows he was shooting.


End file.
